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It Starts Now: When Sacred Meets Secular
When Sacred Meets Secular (2016)
Another Round of Appetizers! Hors D’oeuvres Devotional #3 of 5
[dropcap]#3.[/dropcap]More nuggets before the main course! Hors D’oeuvres Devotional #3.
For many musicians music is a very effective means to a variety of ends. For some, music is primarily a means of acquiring money, fame, status, etc. For others, music is most importantly a means of creative expression for the purpose of empowerment and societal impact. Of course, there are various hybrids of these goals for almost everyone, and yet for believers in the Lord Jesus another more weighty element comes into view—the glory of God. This latter idea brings us face to face with the challenge of not only the “what” but the “how” music should be used and leveraged for the purpose of bringing God glory. Often, “success” becomes the initial indicator of whether a person is doing something right or wrong, and in Christian circles in particular, if God is perceived to “use” something for a “positive” ends, this becomes an even greater confirmation that they are indeed doing something right. How God Do It is about acknowledging that our music, or lives in general, can have all the key ingredients that make for good music/art such as “swag” and eloquence (“chatter”), and God may even “use it” for some positive purpose, however, some of these things we put stock in are the very things He has revealed that He does not use lest they compete with His glory. Let all who have His heart imitate His way of doing what He wants, how he wants.
Yea…uh-huh, uh-huh…Let’s just talk…yeah…Ah…trippin’, slippin’..
Got swagga in that music/ chatter in that music/
Yeah God might use it/ but that ain’t how God do it.
[one_half][note color=”#000000″]
Verse 1
I got my hop and my hippin’/
Gospel I’m spittin’/
my Pops has written His thoughts I’m not trippin’/
I drop my writtens for blocks that’s not gettin’/
what I got/ plus I drop/ ’cause it can rock Christians/
Who are rocked by the God who’s not in our pictures/
But in God’s Son we watched Him drop in our mixture/
It is not popular still I’ve got to chop with men/
who will stop for a hot second to just listen/
Ladies too/ ladies you all cute/ you bat an eye/
but nobody is exempt, we all in Adam die/
So I just straight pull up/ “Jesus”—what up?/
Go right in like it’s life or death—bullet/
In all the way/ some stay ‘cause they feel us/
Others walk away or say, “Whatchu talkin’ ’bout Wilis”/
I’m talking ‘bout heaven’s head resident/
Like y’all talk about every dead president/
Hook
Um hum/
Why your God on the tuck?/
Um hum/
o why He in the cut? (2x)
Got swagga in that music/
chatter in that music/
Yeah God might use it/
but that ain’t how God do it. (2x)
[/note][/one_half][one_half_last][note color=”#000000″]
Verse 2
(You know what)…
If I was an “ordinary rapper” I would be fine/
Design my rhymes around whatever makes me shine/
Quickly make a beeline/for a dope “me” line/
Talk to the felines/hoping they say “He’s fine”/
That was the old me, I’d rap like that I/
now think that’s just blowing smoke like a crack pipe/
That mic’s now for bringing that life to cats my/
Path’s light/ all because of Jesus my flash light/
I don’t wanna force Him/ I wanna floss Him/
Raps aren’t commercial/ but I wanna endorse Him/
He was in that grave man/ Call him Captain Caveman/
We don’t have a cow/ holy cow—death it just grazed Him/
Lord of all, you ought to call Him that/ ‘cause He’s lifted up/
Sure as you ought to call a chicken that/ if he clucks
Jesus is the man can you grant me that?—fifty bucks/
Who can take away your sin/not cover that/ like sippie cups?
Hook
Verse 3
I’ve been on the Internet/ seeing where men are at/
Shame, nothin’s really changed/ I’m no longer into that/
I no longer club/ I know longer puff/ I don’t thug/
I ain’t hangin’ on the corner with the drugs/
This is not a boast, I’m just saying I was stuck/ I was cuffed/
Jesus came and I laid it down like a rug/
You say I found religion/ I just say I found love/
A beggar telling other beggars, “hey I found grub!”/
This is sort of like them lepers in the book of 2nd Kings/
Knew people were starvin’/ then one day they found some “bling”/
They began to party/ eat and drink—they partied/
Then they cried out, “this ain’t right man we should tell somebody”/
Oh—this is how God do it man/ this is what God chooses man/
Through preaching that’s foolish/ don’t know this you’re clueless/
If you do let’s do this/ with it you’re not fruitless/
But without it there’s no doubt/ just hang it up like Judas/[/note][/one_half_last]
How God Do It Devotional Thought
Of all the things that Scripture teaches us about Jesus, ranking pretty high is the idea that God knows what He’s doing, and how to do it. This basically says that God is all wise, which as A.W. Tozer has insightfully remarked, “…is the ability to devise perfect ends (‘the what’) and to achieve those ends by the most perfect means (‘the how’). “Sadly, we think we know better, and like the apostle Peter, rebuke some of our Lord’s ideas when they don’t “jive” with ours. There is a classic account in Jesus’ life when he had to teach His disciples this principle. He, the rabbi, had to demonstrate that His ability and wisdom trumped theirs, even extending into the realms they felt so adept and confident in—fishing. After these professional fishermen fished all night (the “wise” time to fish) and caught nothing, the Master flexed His wisdom and gave them instructions that landed the best catch of fish in their lifetime. You see, He was teaching them, and consequently us, that He even does “our thing” better than we do. If He does “our thing” better than we do, of course He does His thing better than we do.
This wisdom is always at work in all of God’s acts and strategies, and God has been known to give details and specifics about what He wants, and how He wants it. He seems to care about the “how” as much, or more, than the “what.” As early as Genesis 4 we encounter God rejecting an offering from Cain, based on some breach of “the how” the offering was to be made. We see it again in the specificity of “how” the ark of Noah was to be built. All throughout Israel’s history there were specifications on “how” to do everything—worship, war, live, thrive, the list goes on and on. Eventually, the Lord Jesus would model for the apostles, and all believers, how His kind of earthly ministry should be carried forth.
Spoiler alert—God always wants things done in a way that gives Him the most glory. It’s not good grammar but—that’s how God do it.
Jesus Himself and the gospel message are God’s wise ideas—which look foolish to the world, and “unimpressive” to those who want “signs and wonders.” However, “in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom; it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.” God is pleased not only to save, but to save in a certain way. He chose One who, according to Isaiah 53:2-3, “…had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men…one from whom men hide their faces…and we esteemed him not.” Man always chooses flamboyant, impressive people and ways. We “ball so hard…u can’t find us!” We choose to use those who have more “baller status”—the more flashy, majestic, strong, eloquent and wise. Well, the Lord Jesus has shown us a different way—His way.
“Jesus way.”
The church has been given the task of carrying on the mission of Jesus, in the “Jesus way.” However, as I mentioned, His ways can rub us wrong, causing us to adopt other strategies that we are more comfortable with and in. Let us constantly ask the question, “How does God do it?” “How does God ‘get the job done?’” Well, we at least know, He saves, builds, preserves, and gets His glory, not through man’s abilities, but through the Spirit-empowered simplicity of devotion to Christ and His gospel. The crux of God’s acts throughout history boil down to this. This is how God do it.
As one who does use music to spread the gospel I have applied this to my church ministry, even my rap endeavors. Not all believers have this goal in mind, but if saving, or even drawing to Christ is a claim and/or goal, God has revealed that He does this through the proclaimed and lived out gospel (Rm. 10; 1Cor 1-2). This may seem foolish, and may seem like it doesn’t “work.” However, 2 Cor. 4:2-5 disavows the use of slick tactics, and sly techniques.
“But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
God is not merely concerned about the what, but also the how. You can have swagger, chatter, and can flatter, but that is not how God does it. I’ll close again with Tozer who rightly sums it up this way, God accomplishes His will in ways that firstly gives Him the most glory, and then “does the highest good of the greatest number for the longest time.”
The Ambassador Presents Hors D’Oeuvres – EP
Now Available Digitally Everywhere
Appetizers are Served! Hors D’oeuvres Devotional #2 of 5
[dropcap]#2.[/dropcap]This devotional is on the track, “Yah! You See Me!” from my new EP.
Even as Hip hop culture, based on its history, is no stranger to rejection, marginalization, and the pursuit of “mainstream” acceptance, the hip hop artist that seeks to rep Jesus Christ often goes through the same trek. Jesus said that “a city on a hill cant be hid,” which means that the light of His representers should be seen, and their presence be felt—even in a culture that can sometimes be unwelcoming to anything perceived as “too preachy.” The song “YAH! You See Me” declares that Ambassador, and people of like passions, are in the mix and are committed to represent Him boldly. They can not and will not be muted or deterred from hustlin’ for the real Jesus “cause He’s a beast!” So to wake up all of those who may be sleeping, we say—“YAH! You See Me!”
Oh man! I guess I should just go right in. Yeah…
[one_half][note color=”#000000″]
Verse 1
Really this is not a new assignment/
Really this is just a newer climate/
God gives a blank check expecting you to sign it/
Lose your life—yep—but I bet you truly find it/
I’m tryin’ to maneuver like a Heimlich/
I don’t wanna trip on a God that’s known to split us and remove us like a minus/
I gotta time this perfectly/
Got divine lines and I’m trying to spit with kindness—Work with me/
You hustle with a rock/we hustle for the Rock/
You hustle for a knot/ we hustle for eternal guap/
I know some real hustlers—real ambassadors/
Matter of fact you’ll laugh but some are old ladies in Africa/
You shouldn’t laugh because they’re lapping us/
They stay on track they’re looking back like/ “you can’t run half a lap with us”
They’re like the Master was/ doing like their Master does/
Makes me wanna play my role like an actor does/
Hook You see me—YAH! (3x) / You see me!
Verse 2
There’s a mark, ain’t nobody hittin’ it/
I know today you’re young so you’re gettin’ it/
Of course they pour more and more so you’re sippin’ it/
The Maybach’s like a slave back, your whippin’ it/
I’ve witnessed it, most of this is just appearance/
Most of y’all are still living with your parents/
God made man so man’ll shine for certain/
But made him for Himself/ but man don’t mind desertin’/
That’s why you get fly/ then we find you hurtin’
Not what it seems/ that’s a man behind the curtain/
You say I’m preachy… that’s my M.O./
I heard you sayin’ “amen”/ I thought “okay then that’s my in-road”/
Jesus wept… How bout that?/ Not too much…short and sweet/
But He wept for sin and death/ now He asks for your belief/
Whether you are out the womb, out the church, out the penn/
You’re a soul, for a soul/ you know we are out to win/[/note][/one_half][one_half_last][note color=”#000000″]
Hook
Verse 3
I hustle for the real Jesus ‘cause He’s a beast/
Not that dude that you use up in your “Jesus piece”/
All that God talk today…ya got me so confused/
I thought “god” was the diamonds or the gold y’all use/
Jesus teaches how to hustle/ we listenin’ too/
He knows “street”/ His feet had a blister or two/
He knows sleep/ how sleep can be far and few/
How to beat the body down for crowns He’s called us to/
Now take that—try that/ take it back—apply that/
Put that in your real life like they put that in their Pyrex/
Let that rock of truth do to you what it do ‘cause/
To win, when it comes to sin/ you must be biggest losers/
Drop the weight, watch your plate/ watch what you take on/
Even if it ain’t wrong/ don’t run with them weights on/
Show off all that great form/ lookin’ all like you ate Psalms/
Hope to see you at the finish line with them raised arms/
Hook
Outro
Just in case there was some confusion…we here.
You say, “I ain’t know y’all exist.” Yo you see me.
I see you…you see me. You ain’t know! Jesus representers! Chea!
YAH! You See Me Devotional Thought
Let All God’s People Say—You See Me![/note][/one_half_last]
Hidden Christianity, private Christianity and “tucked Christianity” are all oxymorons because Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:14-16).
Firstly, He wasn’t just talking about individuals, but believing communities of His who gather in His name, for His glory, to fulfill His mission. Secondly, He wasn’t merely saying that you shouldn’t be hidden, but that authentic, believing communities of His couldn’t be hidden from the surrounding culture if they were truly engaged in fulfilling His mission. Simply put, Jesus has a vision that there would be a visible people, belonging to God, whose light shines before men in a way that would be noticeable and glorifying to God.
Bon Appetite!
There are many platforms that can be seized for the glory of God, from small to great. One person brings God glory as they faithfully carry out duties at home, school or work. Another person brings God glory by leveraging for Jesus Christ, positions and opportunities of influence that provide great levels of wide spread visibility. All in all, to shine light before men is to humbly but boldly display God honoring deeds with the intent that on lookers will see God’s character and His weightiness. Private meetings, private beliefs, inner feelings, all have a place, but they really are not the way that our light shines before men. It’s when those hidden convictions reveal themselves in full view of the surrounding culture that God is glorified by that culture. What good is salt-less salt? Good for nothing, Jesus would say. What good is “covered light? In like manner, good for nothing. Well what good is it if the Lord’s people are not visible or not making any impact? Jesus says, this can not be. When the “bottom drops out,” and “all hell breaks loose,” the world should at least know where to find the people of God. They shouldn’t have to look far, but we should be there to say, “you see me!”
There have been times when I have intentionally hid myself in order to jump out and surprise someone. When I emerged from my hiding place I say, “Yah!” The intent was to make my previously hidden presence known in a way that couldn’t be missed. That is what the song YAH is about. YAH is about being present, visibly in the mix, almost impossible to miss. Believers in Jesus should be marked and known by a love, faith, discernment, Christ-likeness and commitment that is impossible to miss. Now, certainly the world can overlook, mistake, or misinterpret the deeds of believers. 1Pt 1:4:4 speaks of the countercultural lifestyle of believers as being shocking and even offensive to the surrounding culture. Peter says, “With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you…” Paul indicates something similar when he states that even when the glory of the light of the gospel radiates, a blindness—which keeps that shiny gospel veiled—exists among those who are not alive in Christ (2 Cor 4:3-4). So, a measure of blindness and ignorance to our presence can be expected, but there can still be an intentional effort on our part to broadcast the gospel and display our witness of that gospel publicly. God will be glorified by our imitating His ways in His world. We have been designed by God to be seen even as lights in the darkness are. Let us be able to say, “you see!”
We live in an increasingly secular society. By “secular” I mean that basically our society prefers that God be pushed to the margins of public life—or in extreme cases, pushed out of the picture entirely. I like scholar D.A. Carson on this matter of “secularism” when he notes, that secularism has to do with “The squeezing of religion to the periphery of life…More precisely, secularization is the process that progressively removes religion from the public arena and reduces it to the private realm… (Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited).” I don’t think we can comply with that secularist principle. We are Christ’s means of being proclaimed and celebrated among society.
Even if they do not, at least in the church (universal, and hopefully local), Jesus has supremacy in everything. He’s not only welcomed to be “somewhere” in our lives, but to be central in our lives.
Spiritual Food
Perhaps someone may perceive me to be overstating the case about obstacles to representing Jesus Christ fervently in the public arena. I know, as many can attest, there are still segments of society that permit a tinge of religious (in a good sense of the term) zeal. The same is even true for the Hip-hop culture, which, historically has been favorable to religious consciousness. They call it personal “faith,” and/or “spirituality,” but if done with skill, and of course restraint, it has been received fairly well. But that’s kind of my point–“personal faith” is welcomed, because that usually means “private faith.” What I’m longing for, and what Jesus was referring to, is a faithful life that shines publicly. Not long ago the Hip-hop magazine XXL served notice that Christian hip-hop would not “work,” especially since it was too preachy and prone to impose their beliefs on others. Bold, robust, aromatic faith in Jesus Christ seems always to be relegated to the category of “overdoing it,” while passionate, blatant, overt praise of anything else (even wrongdoing) is welcomed.
My prayer is that God would protect and uphold our commitment to be His city on a hill. The Lord has informed us that “whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mk 8:38). We exist for His glory, and the world can and should encounter who we are, whose we are, and what we stand for. Let’s use every platform and every opportunity wisely in light of the times we are in. In the words of Paul in Colossians 4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” Turn to your neighbors and say, “YAH—you see me!”
The Ambassador Presents Hors D’Oeuvres – EP
Now Available Digitally Everywhere
An Appetizer for Your Musical & Spiritual Appetite.
Hors D’Oeuvres (2013)
RELEASE DATE: August 20, 2013
The Ambassador Hors D’ Oeuvres Track Listing
1. Hors D’ Oeuvres
2. YAH! (You See Me)
3. How God Do It
4. Deserter (feat. Jahaziel)
5. Many Things
6. Where U At?
Production
1, 5, 6 Hothandz
2 Geeda
3 J Luv
4 Mac the Doulos and Hothandz
The Ambassador “YAH (You See Me)” (music video)
Music Video From New EP. Press PLAY below.
Appetizers are Served! Hors D’oeuvres Devotional #1 of 5
[dropcap]#1.[/dropcap]I would like to share with you some devotional thoughts behind my new EP, “Hors D’Oeuvres” that dropped on last week. But first, check out the lyrics below that I will be expounding on. “Turn this light out… and so it begins…”[one_half][note color=”#000000″]
Hook
I’mma be a waiter/ I can take the order/
How about that bread of life, how ’bout living water/
You didn’t ask but here’s an offer/
Come and get up on these hors d’oeuvres
This is just a hors d’oeuvre
This is just a hors d’oeuvre
A little rhyme—all word!
This is just a hors d’oeuvre
Verse 1
Anybody out there hungry/
Anybody want to feed their soul?/
Anybody out there want these/
Lyrics that I got…either fast or slow?/
Anybody got that tummy to taste God’s better than tightest flow?/
Wanna ride like a HUM-V? We can ride high on the righteous road/
If the answer’s “yes,” you don’t gotta press nothing, sit back ingest/
I’m bringing this truth around. You can just sit back and rest/
If the answer’s “no”—cool—I’m still gonna come your way/
Feel free to just let it go by, or try the array upon my tray/
No, you didn’t ask for it/ but the Chef wanted you to have more/
You know I had to get them scriptures out, Should’ve seen how I dug in like Hacksaw/
No frontin’ like a back door/… No sushi but that’s raw/
There’s a place to r.i.p but, to get in He’s key like a passport./
I’m spittin’ it, hoping you’re getting’ it. This is written real earnestly/
In fact this life is an hors d’oeuvre, but there’s eternity/
A little rhyme—all word/
More to come…But here’s an hors d’oeuvre.
Come and get up on these Hors d’oeuvres
This is just an hors d’oeuvre
A little rhyme—All word
This is just an hors d’oeuvre[/note][/one_half][one_half_last][note color=”#000000″]
Verse 2
Picture yourself at a black-tie affair/
You in the building and everyone’s there/
Photo shoot fresh even black-died your hair/
Some of you rockin’ some jewels—kind of rare/
What could make things even better to you?/
You’re thinking you know—Great cooking could/
They bring something that u didn’t order
but this is ok cause it’s “looking good”/
And it’s free…/How can it be?/
It’s from the Chef…this is complimentary/
This is the way that I look at the truth I’m wanting give to the people I meet/
It’s not the fact that you asked, it’s something I think that you need/
I figured I’d give you the option–you can take it or leave/
Nobody can make you believe/ nobody to make you receive/
Just A little rhyme—All word
There’s more to come… But here’s an hors d’ oeuvre.
Hook
Imma be a waiter/ I can take the order/
How about that bread of life, how ’bout living water/
You didn’t ask but here’s an offer/
Come and get up on these hors d’oeuvres
This is just an hors d’oeuvre
This is just an hors d’oeuvre
A little rhyme—all word!
This is just an hors d’oeuvre
Imma be a waiter/ I can take the order/
How about that bread of life, how ‘bout living water/
You didn’t ask but here’s an offer…
[/note][/one_half_last]
Hors D’Oeuvres Devotional Thought
Recently, I have been contemplating the nature of both the message and ministry which our Lord has entrusted to us who have placed saving faith in Him, and been sent into the world as His representers. It was the risen Christ who dispatched Spirit empowered believers into the world, which He described as the sending of “sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matt 10:16).
Chomp Chomp
Apparently, Jesus means for His servants to brace for some kind of certain hostility, and some measure of opposition. The “beef” that we face is usually due to the message we preach and the ministry we do for the sake of Jesus. So in light of this reality, what would lead us to offer the world anything from the Master’s table? What if they disrespect it, or mock it, or refuse it? Thus the concept of “the hors d’oeuvres.” Hors d’oeuvres are usually not requested, they are just available for the public based on the Chef’s desire to provide them.
I’m reminded of a similar thought in the book of Isaiah, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price (55:1). Later, the Lord explains that the way to eat freely, not by coercion, but in response to the gracious offer, is to “Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live…” (2-3).
Our message is from the Chef—and He has prepared truth to feast on, and eternal life to consume. We must come to grips with the fact that Hip-hop, like the entire world, has no innate appetite for the gospel, or the God who offers it.
In light of this reality some have concluded that we should not give the gospel to them. In fact, within Christian Hip-hop circles and some “seeker oriented” ministry circles, gospel-centeredness seems like an obvious counter-productive method of missional engagement. Often, when the gospel is too present, or the exaltation of Jesus and His principles too forefront, people will say, “that’s for the church.” The inference is that it must be for the church because the world would never want that.
To this logic, I say “NO!” The elevation of Christ, and the offer and explanation of His good news is as much for the world as it is for the church. The imperative nature of our call to “go and make disciples of all peoples” means that God, our Chef, has provided that which people are free to take or leave, but it is very much intended for them to partake of and find life.
As hors d’oeuvres are given freely for enjoyment, so the crux of our message and ministry is offered regardless of whether it has been requested or not. We offer it, expecting it to be received as an acquired taste. We believe, as Jesus told the Pharisee, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (Jn 6:44).
Jesus Himself is an acquired taste, and without an appetite for Him due to the drawing of the Father, people will not desire anything that makes too much of Him. Thus, the hors d’oeuvres concept applies. We dare to keep Jesus on our menus, and on our tables—not because people want it, but because God says that “repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations…” (Lk 24:47).
Ready.
To go even further, we persistently offer Him because Acts 4:12 declares that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” People can go on iTunes and order what they want, but as for me and like-minded believers we say, “Come and get up on these hors d’oeuvres!”
The Ambassador Presents Hors D’Oeuvres – EP
Now Available Digitally Everywhere
If Loving You is Right, I Don’t Wanna Be Wrong
True (biblical) Christians love their Lord and His people. They know from Scripture that it is both/and, not either/or. Fundamental to a true Christian belief is the belief that love is not merely a "feeling" or a four letter word, but it is an action.
True (biblical) Christians love their Lord and His people.
They know from Scripture that it is both/and, not either/or. Fundamental to a true Christian belief is the belief that love is not merely a “feeling” or a four letter word, but it is an action.
Jesus demonstrated the ultimate love (and provided us with a paradigm of Christian love) when He gave Himself for sinners while they were still sinners–while they were “a mess!” (Rm 5:8). Certainly we Christians have our issues. We can often be hard to love, but this is what makes agape (God’s love) so amazing. God’s kind of love flows from God’s kind of heart. It causes Him to lavish us with good things, and to not deal with us according to our bad things. Of course He can justly do this because of the cross, but He moves from being simply able to love sinners to actually loving sinners. It is because of a loving Christ that we have not only received love, but have also been given an amazing job. We are His priesthood, which means that we get to carry out His affairs, and we are the ones He set apart to proclaim His excellencies (1 Pt. 2:9). This is tip of the iceberg. God’s love for us is manifested in countless ways, and His love for His people is unquestionable. But not only has God Himself chosen to love us, He commands His people to do likewise and love one another. While the same thing stands true–we can be difficult to love–Ephesians 5 says we are to imitate the Lord in regard to this love for those whom Christ loves. Let’s chop for a few about the love of the saints for the saints.
Perhaps you’ve observed that rarely does a professing Christian admit to “not loving the saints.” Most (if not all) Christians I know, agree that it is wrong to not love the saints. Jesus even tells us that it is wrong to not love our enemies, so of course He demands we love our spiritual family. But equally true is the reality that obedience to these commands do not come easy, and we struggle to admit that we often do not love the saints. Some try to have it both ways–they want credit for their love claim, but justification for their lack of love deeds. They say “I love them, but I don’t have to like them.” I’ve heard many Christians relish in the fact that they love “the world” more than Christians. I’ve witnessed countless others who will not publicly say that, but their actions, alliances, and affiliations prove that they love “the world” more than the true church.
These contemplations recently struck me as I found myself surrounded by a spreading trend of Christians who seemed increasingly more unabashed in publicly expressing everything from mild distaste to varying degrees of hostility towards Christians or “church.” Of course I’m not referring to outright persecution or physical aggression. It usually takes more subtle forms like joining with “the world” in affirming a caricature of Christians or the church. Without differentiating good church from bad church, good Christianity from bad Christianity, or without any helpful nuances, everything related to God, except God Himself, is often dishonored by His own representatives. Tragically, all this takes place in the sight of a world that is watching. The world thinks that it sees, when it really, at best, only sees “men as trees” (Mk 8:24). Jesus gives sight to the blind, and shines light into the darkness. He was the one who said that His people are the light of the world (Mat 5:14), but I have a funny feeling the world does not see us in that light. Worse, we may not see ourselves in that light. My observation has been that often “the world” seems to think they are right in their assessments of God and His people, and they feel that they have found allies who share and affirm their misconceptions, or unbalanced judgments. The result is that they grow more hardened in their misunderstandings, and could get to the point where they neither see a need for the special grace found only in Christ, or for the special people who belong to Christ. In which case, they would much rather stick with their notions of “spirituality.” Worldly spirituality is usually some combination of individualistic piety and private faith, or an understanding of God that they come up with themselves. I believe sometimes we help them to feel justified in thinking this, and this troubles me, even though I know God will not be hindered ultimately.
Side bar…
Hip hop has never had a shortage of “spirituality.” They have never been without a respect for “respectable” aspects of people’s personal “faith” claims. However they also have often displayed an extra ignorance of Christ rightly revealed. As true of “the world” (from the biblical perspective), hip hop culture has always seen the Bible, God, and God’s people through skewed lenses. One of the blessings of having a Christ-centered, gospel-centered, gospel proclaiming, and theologically oriented Christian rap movement was that it was able to dispatch representatives who would shine light, and expose the broader hip hop listening context to a “right” understanding of God and His people. We could accomplish this in part through our rhymes, but only in conjunction with our robust oneness, and our aromatic Christ-likeness.
Back to it…
While some public critique of ourselves may be necessary at times, we can never let that rival or shroud our main commitment, which is to use our public platforms to honor Christ and show off one of the most potent marks of the true Christian–love for all the believers. This vertical and horizontal display of love is what makes us the city on the hill which cannot be hid. Platforms are perfect tools for showing off, we just have to remember what we should be showing off. Love for fellow believers is how Jesus said all people would know we are a part of Jesus’ squad of disciples (Jn. 13:35).There are many ways to love the saints, but one way is to cover her shame as Joseph set out to do when he thought Mary, the mother of our Lord, had been promiscuous (Mt 1:19). Another way to love the people of God is to show believers honor rather than either indifference or disdain (Rm 12:10).
In this era of public platform ministry, our love for our platforms is obvious, but our love for God’s church should be more obvious. Our claim to love the people of God is constantly being asserted, but we should be disturbed by how comfortable some seem to be dishonoring her before unbelievers. That’s a mark of “the world”- dislike and disdain for believers. Let’s not share that mark. Christians have a different mark–love for the brethren. Jesus prayed in John 17 that “the world” would see our love for each other, as well as our oneness. This, He said, would impact the world so that they would believe Jesus was sent by the Father, and the world would come to know about a unique love relation between God and His people.
Perhaps the church’s reputation for pharisaically being hostile toward the “world” has caused a sense of justified response. However, pendulums will swing to extremes in both directions. Today I sometimes see more love, tolerance, and honor for “the world” by Christians than I see by those same Christians for the saints. It hurts to see this because, whenever the world’s watching, we have a great opportunity to show them a correct (though not perfect) version of faith in Christ. We should avoid both extremes, and live out the biblical order of Gal 6:10–“…as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith”. 1 Peter echoes this same sentiment, “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood…” This is the will of the God that saved you and me (if you’ve been saved). Everyone gets treated with the dignity that is based on the “imago dei” (image of God ), but a unique love is to be shared and displayed among and toward the believers.
Lastly, the love of God extends, as they say, from the gutter-most to the utter-most. As imitators of God’s kind of love, we must be mindful to love the lowly, and not just “big shots.” I recall Jesus’ admonition in Luke 14:12-14,
“When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Here is another opportunity for our love to impact the watching world, especially in hip hop where being “hip”, “cool”, and socially accepted is a prerequisite for being embraced. We must be careful because there can be a temptation to only want “the world” to know about “the cool” acceptable believers (by their standards). Paul has already informed us of the fact that there are not many externally impressive, socially exalted Christians.
1Cor 1:26-29 – 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
God has rigged things this way, and still He says, “love your ‘not so noble’ and ‘not so wise’ and ‘not so powerful’ family. Show off that love in the public so “the world” will want to belong to God’s family.” If we communicate to “the world” that we don’t even like “us”, why should they want to be a part of “us.” Jesus has one body of Christ, and He loves her. Let’s get back to advocating, asserting, and affirming what Psalm 16:2-3 says,
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” As for the saints…, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
Amen,
The Ambassador